


Queer Eye makes over Alexander Hamilton

by J_Ham



Category: Hamilton - Miranda, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy RPF
Genre: A. Hamilton is a mess, Alexander’s kids, Apologies, Children, Family Bonding, Family Issues, Forgiveness, I designed a House for this fic, It’s Quiet Uptown, Makeover, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 11:51:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16743463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Ham/pseuds/J_Ham
Summary: So this was requested on my tumblr (fanfic-requests-maybelol) and it was too lon to post there so I’m putting it on here.





	Queer Eye makes over Alexander Hamilton

_ “I’ll be there in a minute, save my plate.”  _

 

_ “She led me to her bed, let her legs spread and said, ‘stay…’” _

 

_ “I had frequent meetings with her, most of them at my own house!!”  _

 

_ “Take my guns, be smart, make me proud son.” _

 

_ “It’s quiet uptown, I never liked the quiet before.” _

 

After the video finished playing, there was an awkward silence in the Fab Five’s car. Finally, Tan spoke up,

 

“WOW, looks like we are dealing with an affair!” Karamo shot Tan an appalled look.

 

“Tan, his son just died. Ease into it a little.”

 

“Oh is that what the tombstone was about? I didn’t realize, I was caught up on the affair as well.” Jonathan piped up from the back. Karamo rolled his eyes,

 

“Not  _ only  _ did his son just die, he has 6 other children!”

 

“Are they all born from  _ his _ wife?”

 

“I, uh, YES! Probably,”

 

“Is nobody going to mention the fact that we are making-over Alexander Hamilton? He’s the treasurer secretary of the US. Honestly, has no one here seen the story he published about his own affair? The Reynolds Scandal?” Bobby interrupted before anyone could continue talking about dead children.

 

“You know we aren’t as involved in politics as you are Bobby.” Antoni said, than added, “But yeah, I heard about the Reynolds Scandal. I didn’t know who it involved though.” Jonathan spoke up, again,

 

“Wait, I thought the Reynolds Scandal was just a really popular erotica book? I searched it up once and…”

 

“OOOKAY. I don’t know much about the Reynolds Scandal, but I do know that this man desperately needs our help.” Karamo interrupted.

 

Sounds of agreement filled the car, as they continued to drive towards what would soon prove to be the most  _ interesting _ makeover ever.

 

—  
  


Not one member of the Hamilton household noticed when the Fab Five pulled up to the Hamilton’s house. They were all to immersed in their own life’s. Alexander was working in his office, Eliza was entertaining William Stephan and John Church, her youngest sons. She had just put two year old Eliza down for her nap. Angie and Alex jr. we’re sitting in the parlor preparing tea. Despite having told their parents about Queer Eye and the Fab Five, and triple checking to make sure their dad knew that  _ he was going to be the subject of a makeover,  _ they were still the only ones who remembered that the men would be coming this week. 

 

Nobody quite knows were James Alexander is, everyone is just hoping he is not making a huge mess. Anyone who knows James, however, knows that that’s not very likely, as James is a walking tornado.

 

Despite everyone being busy, the house was rather quiet. Alex jr and Angie wouldn’t speak to each other in a anything above a whisper, as to not break the quiet, so the only sound was small giggles coming from William and John, as Eliza tickled them. So when the Fab Five showed up at the door, and rang the doorbell, it rang throughout the house, making 6 people jump and waking up baby Eliza. Eliza sighed and stood up,

 

“Can someone get the door? Eli just woke up.” 

 

“Got it Mom!!”” James Alexander shouted from closet. No one is sure why he’s in there. Thumps echo throughout the house as James runs and gets the door. Before he could see who was at the door, he starts introducing himself,

 

“Hi, I’m James Alexander. Welcome to the Hamilton household. If you’re here to see my dad, he is busy right now, so it might be awhile. While you wait, let’s go to the parlor for tea. My siblings Alexander and Angelica are making tea. Come on!! Exchanging glances, the Fab Five follow the hyperactive child through the entryway. 

 

“So, who are you guys and why are you here? It’s not a problem. Just curious.”

 

“Um, we are the Fab Five from the Netflix show Queer Eye. We’re here to help your dad.” Tan explained.

 

“Help my dad with what? I don’t think he will appreciate help with any of his work.”

 

“Actually,” Karamo said, “We are going to try and help him work  _ less _ and—”

 

“Oooh I get it,” James Alexander interrupted before Karamo could finish, “you’re here to get his life together. Ha! Though, I’m not quite sure he will appreciate that either. Anyways, here’s the parlor and here’s the tea.” James proceeded to hand them each a cup of tea, as though from a cartoon and just grabbing them from behind his back. 

 

“James, shut up. I’m sorry he’s quiet hyperactive. I’m sure our father will really appreciate your help. I know I will.” Angelica said, walking into the room with a bowl of sugar. 

 

“We know where James gets it from though.” Alexander jr. announced, “according to Mom, our dad was very, um,  _ intense, _ when they first met.”

 

“Yeah, I don’t see it though. All he ever does know is work, and that’s not really that interesting.” Angelica said, with Alexander jr. in the background nodding in agreement.

 

“Are you guys Twins?” Jonathan asked, breaking the awkward silence the Fab Five had had up until then. Angie and Alex jr. looked at each other, looked back at Jonathan and exclaimed at precisely the same moment,

 

“No!”

 

“Are you sure, you sure act like it.” Before Angie or Alex jr. could say anything, James Alexander said,

 

“Yeah, they’re not twins. Angie is like 1 year, and almost 8 months older than Alex. But yeah, they do act like twins, and when Phillip was still alive, they acted like triplets. Just like how John, Will and Eli act like triplets. I’m all alone, I am-was- the middle child.” 

 

“Shh James. You are so talkative. And you know you’re not all alone. For heaven's sake, you have 5 siblings. And I’d rather not talk about Phillip right now.” Angelica reprimanded. 

 

“Okay!! Bye!” James Alexander acknowledged Angie, than dashed out of the room.

 

“Please don’t make a mess!” Alexander jr. called after him, most likely to no avail. Turning towards the Fab Five, Angelica spoke,

 

“I’m sorry, James can be quite a handful. Please sit down. My mom will be down in a minute.”

 

“Oh don’t apologize. He’s just a kid.” Bobby said, “So, you were the one that nominated your dad?” 

 

“Uh, yes, me and Alexander.”

 

“Alexander, your dad?” Antoni asked.

 

“No, me Alexander,” Alexander jr. said. 

 

“Oh, that was a stupid question. Sorry.” Antoni groaned while the rest of the Fab Five nodded. 

 

“And you nominated him because…?”

 

“All he ever does is work, and we want to spend time with him. Also, mom is currently very mad at him because of the Reynold scandal and uh,  _ Phillip _ .” Angelica whispered the last part as if saying the name hurt her. Behind her Alex jr. mouthed ‘I’ll tell more later’. 

 

Just then, Eliza walked in holding Eliza. 

 

“Hi mom. Hi Eli.” Angelica said, “mom, these are the guys from Queer Eye. They’re here to help dad get his act together.” Angie turned red, “Er, I mean. Yeah okay. Bye.” She turned and rushed out of the room, much to everyone else’s amusement. 

 

“Alex, go get your father. I’ll stay here and talk to these men.” Alex nodded and darted out of the room.

 

“Sit down, drink your tea. Make yourself at home.” Obeying Eliza’s orders, the Fab Five sat down. 

 

“So, you guys are here because..?”

 

“Our job is to help people become a better version of themselves. Each of us have a different expertise. I’m Tan, my expertise is in clothing and style. Karamo has culture and confidence. Jonathan is hair and grooming. Bobby is home remodeling. And Antoni specializes in food.” Tan explained, gesturing to each man as he spoke.

 

“And your all gay?” Eliza asked. Exchanging nervous looks with the others, Jonathan said,

 

“Yes, is that a problem?” Despite his words being defensive, his tone was gentle.

 

“Oh heavens no. Just do try not to make moves on my husband. He’s very, um, what’s the word? Oh yeah, slutty.” Eliza chuckled at the shocked looks on everyone’s face, before saying,

 

“Seriously though. He can be quite charming when he wants to be. And he won’t stop any advances. I need to take Eliza back upstairs and see if I can get her back to sleep. Alexander  _ should _ be down in a minute. You guys just wait here.” Eliza walked out of the room. 

 

Now, the Fab Five were alone. Karamo took a deep breath and spoke,

 

“This family is hilarious. They crack me up, but so far it sounds like we  _ really  _ got our work cut out for us.” Laughing, Jonathan said,

 

“Honestly, I want them to be my family. James is an honest reflection of my soul.”

 

“I agree with you Jonathan,” Tan said, “James is what I imagine you were like when you were younger.” 

 

“Yeah, they are really amusing, but we have to remember to be sensitive. Their son just died.” Bobby reminded them. The rest of the men nodded to show acknowledgement. 

 

“So what’s going to be our  plan of action?” Antoni asked.

 

“Well, I’m going to need to see his hair, and I bet Tan wants to go through his closet. Antoni, you can ask the children and Eliza about his cooking skills, and Bobby, I bet one of the children would love to give you a tour. Karamo, I think you already know what you’ll be doing, but maybe you should come with us while I fix his hair, and talk to him then. But first, I want to go through all his stuff.

 

“That’s actually a good plan, Jonathan,” Karamo remarked, “I think that’s what we should do. Any objections?” No one said anything, so that meant the plan was a-go. At that moment, Alexander jr walked into the room. Despite having been sent to get his father, no one was with him. 

 

“Where’s your dad, Alex?” Tan asked.

 

“Oh, he’s working. He doesn’t like being interrupted, so I just came back down. However, I know a way to get him down here really quickly. I wanted to teach it to you so you know how to get his attention. Honestly I’m surprised it still works, but we only use it for emergencies.” Starting to get quite curious, the Fab Five shared suspicious glances. Alex sighed,

 

“Come on, we have to ring the doorbell.”

 

The Fab Five were roughly confused. Hadn’t they rang the doorbell when they entered? Nevertheless, they followed Alexander jr. down the hall and watched him open the door and ring the doorbell, then he yelled,

 

“DAD IT’S JOHN LAURENS!!” There was the sound of a door being violently opened, and a crashing noise as the Fab Five heard Alexander come flying down the stairs. He crashed through a door of the left side of the hall, quite out of breath, before stopping and looking around. He looked past the Fab Five without pausing to wonder why there were 5 men in his house. 

 

“John?” Hamilton whispered, then, turning to his son he said, “I told you guys to stop doing that.”

 

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I had no other choice though, we have guests here to see you.” Alex dismissed his father, and gestured to the Fab Five. Alexander Hamilton turned and acknowledged the men,

 

“Hello. Who are you guys?” Surprised by his bluntness, it took a moment for anyone to say anything. When they finally got themselves together, it was Tan who spoke,

 

“We are here to makeover your lifestyle. I’m Tan, that’s Jonathan, Karamo, Antoni, and Bobby.” Tan explained while gesturing to each man as he spoke, “each of us specialize in something that will help you. So that by the end of this week, you will be the best version of yourself.” Alexander gave his son a questioning look. Alex jr. just shrugged. Alexander nodded at the Fab Five,

 

“Okay, I’ll pretend I know what all of that means. What do you need me to do?” 

 

———

 

“Woah woah woah, do you have to go through  _ everything? _ ” Alex asked as the Fab Five climbed through his closet. 

 

“Yes, we want to get to know you.” Jonathan assured Alexander, from the back of the closet. 

 

“Yeah, so why don’t you interview me or something?” 

 

“Because, Alex, we will be getting rid of most of this anyways. This is like the fifteenth sweatshirt. Do you have anything formal in hear?” Tan asked, exasperation visibly showing. 

 

“Not in there, no, but in my office I have my work clothes, and some more casual clothes.” When Alexander finished his sentence, multiple questions and comments filled the room.

 

“Alexander, these are not casual clothes, they are ‘I’ve given up’ clothes!” Tan shrieked, as Karamo questioned,

 

“Why are your work clothes in your office?” Jonathan popped his head out of the closet to share his opinion,

 

“How do you own so many sweatshirts?”

 

Bobby and Antoni were the only ones to not exclaim something, they just exchanged a shocked glance. 

 

Just then, four year old William Stephan walked into the room. William looked  _ exactly _ like his dad, just a lot younger, and well rested. 

 

“Who shrunk Alexander?” Antoni inquired when he saw William. He bent down and scooped William up. 

 

“Hi, who are you?” William asked, in a small cute child voice. The Fab Five melted a little. 

 

“I’m Antoni. Who are you?”

 

“I’m William Stephan. Why are you going through papa's closet?”

 

“We are going to bring your dad shopping for clothes, but first we need to get rid of some.”

 

“No! You can't throw away papa’s sweatshirts! They are so warm! And soft! And cozy!”

 

“William?” Alexander questioned, “ are you the one who’s been stealing my sweatshirts?”

 

William’s eyes widened comically,  

 

“Not stealing, I just like to wear them to bed, and sometimes I forget to give them back!” Alexander nodded. 

 

“Okay sweat pea, you can keep the ones you have.” Williams face brightened, and he reached for his dad from Antonio’s arms. Antoni passed the child, and William gave Alex a really tight hug around the neck.

 

“Daddy? Can you help me find a hiding spot? I’m playing hide and seek with John and James. I need to win, because James alway wins, and I want to beat him.” Alex’s eye softened at his sons request,

 

“Sure sweet pea. Hide in the closet, we will distract John and James.’” He set William down, and William darted off into the closet, where Jonathan buried him in sweatshirts.

 

“Alex, your kids are so sweet! What are their names?”

 

“Oh, uh thanks. I have 7–uh no 6 children. Soon to be seven again. The oldest is Angelica, then Alexander, James, John, Will and finally Eliza. Y’all are about to meant James and John any second.” Just as he finished his sentence, two boys came sprinting into the room. One was obviously older than the other, so the Fab Five guessed that he was James. He had black hair that was more reminiscent of his mom than his dad, however he had Alexander’s famous violet blue eyes. Even though he was obviously older, he was about an inch shorter than the other boy, who was likely John. John had fire red hair that stood up at every direction. His eyes were dark brown. 

 

“Dad!! Have you seen Stephy-Poo anywhere?” James asked.

 

“James, what did I tell you about calling your brother that? I have not seen him, no. Have you checked the attic?”

 

“Ah Yes, he got into the attic without help? I doubt that dad…” John commented rather sarcastically for a nine year old. The Fab Five laughed. 

 

“Okay, thanks dad! Bye! We have to find Will.” James ran out of the room, and John nodded goodbye and followed him. 

 

“Hey Alex?” Jonathan said, “I think I’m going to adopt your children. They are so cute!! Your genes are really strong in them.” Alexander raised one of his eyebrows at Jonathan, picking up at the slight, unintentional, compliment. Tan interrupted whatever was happening by saying, 

 

“Okay, I want to see your work clothes, see your suits, and see if you own any other casual clothes other than sweatpants and sweatshirts.”

 

“I’ll tell you right now that I don’t, but you can go ahead and look.”

 

—-

  
  
  


“Ok Alex, after going through your closet, I have decided that your work clothes and your formal clothes need no help. Based on what I saw, you clean up nice, you just need to learn what to wear when being casual.” Alexander nodded as Tan France continued,

 

“Now, nothings wrong with sweatpants, unless its the only comfortable thing you own.  I’m thinking that we get you a couple of nice jeans and maybe even try some yoga pants. Then we will get loads of tops and accessories. I truly believe you will be proud and confident with these new clothes. Are you ready to start?”

 

Alexander Hamilton trusted Tan to ‘fix his wardrobe’, even though Alex himself saw nothing truly wrong with it. He just fancied being comfortable, and whenever he went out he would dress in what Tan called ‘ _ Formal wear _ ’. Alex didn't think it was formal, he thought it was standard, but despite all this he was excited to see what Tan came up with.

 

It turns out, Alexander was a blast to shop with. Tan had brought him to a mall, so Alex would insist on going into any store with things that remotely interested him, even if it was a dress shop. Like window shopping to the extreme. Tan followed him around with a smile. Usually, he had to work hard and persuade the men to try on clothes that might be out of their comfort zone. Hamilton was not the case. He just needed Tan to help him with color schemes and occasionally suggest more clothes. They dashed from store to store looking for the perfect outfits. Despite Alexander's willingness to try almost anything on, he seemed to be looking for something rather specific, and vetoed nearly ninety percent of the clothes he tried on. After a while, Tan asked what Alex was looking for. Alexander turned a little red, yet he replied with confidence,

 

“I’m looking for something that really shows off my calfs. I’ve been told they are very well defined.” To prove his point, he rolled up his pant leg, and showed his muscular calf. Tan very much agreed that they should find pants that could show them off. Nodding, Tan suggested yoga pants, and dragged Alexander to a women's athletics shop. True to himself, Alexander didn't really stop to wonder if it was okay for him, _ a man, _ to wear women's clothes. When Tan asked about it, Alexander shrugged,

 

“Jackie always told me I looked hot in womens clothes, I just never really showed that side to Eliza, so I guess it just kind of, died.” Assuming Jackie was an ex-girlfriend, Tan nodded and said, 

 

“Jackie was right. Those yoga pants are perfect for you. Do you agree?” Alexander smiled and replied,

 

“Yeah, they are really comfortably too.”

 

Tan learned rather quickly after that, that Alexander was really good at holding a conversation. It took him a while to open up, but even before he started sharing personal information, Tan found himself truly emotionally invested in theconversation. Eliza was right, Alexander Hamilton was quite charming and personable when he wanted to be. Tan was already happily married and not at all interested at finding someone else, but if he hadn’t been in a relationship, it wouldn’t be that hard to develop feelings for Alexander. He was definitely starting to understand why Hamilton was such a popular person, even as a politician.  

 

By the time they were finished shopping, it was nearly midnight. It had taken quite a bit—okay, a lot— longer then expected, but the results were worth it. Alexander was unabashedly excited to show off his new clothes, though Tan was making him wait until the end of the week, you know, for the  _ dramatic reveal _ . 

 

——

 

Day two started earlier than day one had ended. Alexander was used to waking up early for work, so he wasn’t really fazed by the 5am call from Jonathan. 

 

“Thanks for humouring me Alex. I’m sorry for waking you up so early, but I wanted to get a nice start to your hair. Before sharing my opinion, what do you think needs to happen with this?” Jonathan had sat Alexander down in in a barbers chair, and ran his finger through Alexander's hair as he spoke. Alexander shrugged,

 

“I don't know much about hair. All I know is that I barely have enough time to wash it, much less do anything else with it. Sometimes Angie and Eliza will braid my hair. Uh, Angie my daughter,  _ and _ Angie, Eliza’s sister. At least they did before..” Alexander gestured vaguely around the room, as if at a lost for words. He wasn’t. He was never unsure of what to say, sometimes he just didn't feel like elaborating. Jonathan smiled

 

“Okay, so I think we should keep the long hair. It looks very nice, but we need to get rid of this scruff. Or at least trim it up. If you want to grow a beard, it has to be on purpose, not just because you don't have time to shave. Also, we are going to find you and your children nice shampoo and conditioner, because you guys have the softest hair ever, and you  _ need _ to keep it that way. Is that a plan?” Alexander nodded, 

 

“You are the expert here. I put my hair into your hands.” Even though his sentence was pretty normal, the way he quirked his lips and raised his left eyebrow was enough to make Jonathan want to hang out with this man. He really just had a way with words.  

 

“So, Alex— wait, can I call you that?” Alexander nodded, so Jonathan started over, “So, Alex, if you don't mind me asking, who’s John Laurens? The name had quite the effect on you earlier.”

 

Alexander was visibly surprised at the mention of the name. He shook his head and said,

 

“Um, old friend. He’s ‘Missing in Action’.” Jonathan nodded. He didn’t personally know what it was like to have a friend go missing in action, but he was as sympathetic as a man could be. To keep it from getting awkward, Jonathan asked,

 

“And what about Jackie? Tan said she was an old girlfriend…” Alexanders face turned bright red. 

 

“No, not an old girlfriend.” He didn’t elaborate, so Jonathan pressed on,

 

“Who was she then?” Alexander sighed,

 

“It was a nickname.  Look, it really doesn’t matter.” Internally Alexander was scolding himself for letting his guard down around Tan. Of course Tan would turn around and tell the other men, it was his job. Jonathan meanwhile, was just getting curious. The more insistent Alexander was about not answering question, the more insistent Jonathan would be about getting answers. However, he didn’t want to press and make Alexander hate him. According to Tan, Alex was actually a really friendly guy, just kind of shut in. But, Tan also said Alexander was very eloquent, and as far as Jonathan knew, snapping at people wasn’t very eloquent. 

 

Jonathan decided to let Alexander open up on his own time, so he just went back to trimming Alexander's hair silently. As expected, after a few minutes, Alexander spoke up,

 

“Look,Jonathan, I’m sorry I raised my voice. Jackie was a nickname for John Laurens. I guess you  _ could  _ argue the he was an ex. I don’t usually talk about it, but I suppose it's your job to be all up in my business.” Before completely processing what Alexander had said, Jonathan joked,

 

“It really more of Karamo’s job to be up in people’s business. We just help. WAIT, JACKIE  _ WAS  _ AN EX?! AND HE WAS A GUY!!!” Alexander's eyes widened and he quickly glanced around the hair salon,

 

“Shut up. What part of ‘I don’t usually talk about it’ don’t you understand?” 

 

“Sorry Alex. I was just surprised.  _  So, _ tell me all about John. Spill the tea honey.” Alexander couldn’t help but smile. It had been years since he had allowed himself to talk about John openly. He decided that now was a good time to open up. At least, it was as good of a time as it was going to get.

 

“Okay, fine. John was the best man I had ever met. He had freckles along his nose that looked like stars in the night sky, and his hair was really poofy. He was taller than me, but only by a little bit. We’re both pretty short for men. And he loved turtles. He would draw them so realistically, and…”  Alexander continued, while Jonathan listened patiently. It was really clear to Jonathan that Alexander had loved John Laurens, and, as Alex continued to speak, that John had loved Alex back. By the time Jonathan had finished styling Alexander's hair, Alex was still going on about John. 

 

“And then, he went missing. I always told him that he needed to come back, for me. I know that he’s probably dead, but I just keep hoping that one day he’ll come back, and we’ll be able to embrace again.” Alexander had started crying, and Jonathan didn’t blame him. In fact, Jonathan was crying himself. He could not even imagine how hard this was for Alex. 

 

“Hey, hey. Deep breaths. It’s okay to cry.” Jonathan pulled Alexander out of the barbers chair, and into a hug. Alexander melted into Jonathan and begin shaking with sobs. Jonathan was six inches taller then Alexander, so he was able to comfortably rest his chin on Alex’s head. 

 

“Cry it out honey. I’m here, it’s okay. I’m going to tell Karamo about John. Is that okay?” Jonathan felt Alexander nod his head. Alexander pulled back from the hug after about five minutes. His eyes were blotchy and bloodshot, but it looked as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

 

“Thanks Jonathan. I really needed that.” 

 

“I know honey. Everyone needs to cry sometimes. Never be afraid to show your emotions.” Alexander let out a shaky breath. Jonathan smiled,

 

“Look in the mirror. You look sharp, Alex.” Alexander looked in the mirror. His hair was a little shorter, but not so short that he couldn’t pull it out of his face.  A nice healthy length. His scruffy beard and moustache were gone, so he was clean shaven. Jonathan was right. He did look sharp. Smiling Alexander turned towards Jonathan, who said,

 

“It’s nearly nine o'clock. Antoni has you next, but we agreed to take you shopping for food ingredients and self care toiletries first. ButI think—”  Just then, Alexander’s stomach growled. Jonathan smiled and finished his sentence, “—we should stop somewhere for a quick bite to eat.” 

 

——

 

They got some donuts from a nearby gas station, and met Antoni at Target. Antoni was in the produce section comparing two heads of lettuce, so he didn’t see Jonathan and Alexander. Jonathan rushed up and placed his hands over Antoni’s eyes,

 

“Guess who?” Antoni jumped slightly, but answered calmly,

 

“Hmm, is it Jonathan?” Laughing, Jonathan moved his hands. Alexander was standing off to the side with a small smile. 

 

“Alexander! Don’t close off again! Antoni won't bite.” Jonathan joked at Hamilton’s somewhat anxious appearance. 

 

“Haha. Fine. Hi Antoni. How are you doing?” Alexander asked while inching towards Jonathan and Antoni. 

 

“I’m very well. By the way, nice haircut.” Antoni replied. Alexander smiled and nodded at the lettuce.

 

“So, what are you planning on teaching me to cook?”

 

“Well I have many ideas. Though lettuce isn’t a really important part to any of them. It’s just a good thing to have in your fridge. You know, so you can toss together a salad or something like that whenever you’re hungry.” Alexander nodded,

 

“Cool. Let’s get started.” 

 

After a brief discussion, the three men decided it would be easier to split up then to travel the entire store together. 

 

“Alex, you go with Jonathan first, while I get food necessities, and then you come join me so we can talk about what type of food you like. Good plan?” Alexander and Jonathan both nodded, and set off towards the hair and makeup section of the store. Alexander had actually been to this section quite often. With eight people living in the house, they tended to run out of soap and other toiletries pretty quickly. For some odd reason, whenever the used to go shopping together, Eliza would always give Alexander the job of finding any necessity that wasn’t food. Now, however, Eliza never took him shopping, she opted for going on her own. He didn’t blame her, of course, but it was still sad to think about. Sensing Alexander’s sudden change in attitude, Jonathan decided to start a lighthearted conversation.

 

“So, what’s your favorite smell of shampoo? Lavender? Vanilla? What?” Alexander shook himself out of his stupor and answered,

 

“I like green apple, or generic, but any holiday themed scents are pretty soothing.” Jonathan nodded.

 

“I totally agree. How about your favorite animal?”

 

“Hm, probably an octopus.” Alexander shrugged, “not sure why, but I appreciate how creatives and smart they are for something that have no bones.” Jonathan laughed. 

 

“Okay, well, I guess that's a good point. Now, we should focus on hair stuff.”

 

They got through hair necessities pretty quickly, because Alexander wasn't completely clueless. When they finished, Jonathan and Alexander headed off for the food section so they could find Antoni.

 

Antoni was in the noodle isle, standing in front of the wide selection of macaroni and cheese. 

 

“NO!” Alexander exclaimed, quite suddenly. Antoni looked up in surprise.

 

“Hm? What's wrong?” 

 

“Sorry, I just, uh, don’t like mac and cheese. Sorry didn't mean to yell.” Alexander explained, while going red in the face. Antoni and Jonathan exchanged a queer glance, silently wondering if they were both thinking ‘ _ how can someone not like Mac and Cheese?’ _ . 

 

That was very much what they were both thinking. Never in his years of culinary school had Antoni encountered someone who disliked mac and cheese. Sure, there were people who preferred something else, but for the most part, Mac and Cheese was universal. However, it wasn’t their job to make fun of anyone's life choices, so Antoni just shrugged, 

 

“That's a little odd, but we can find something else. What  _ do  _ you like to eat then?” Alexander didn't quite meet Antoni’s eyes as he answered the simple question,

 

“I don’t really eat that much.” 

 

“Okay, well then. That's step one. Getting you to eat. Now, everyone's metabolism is slightly different, but….” Antoni continued to give Alexander the ‘ _ healthy eating _ ’ talk as they finished the shopping rounds. Alexander wasn't stupid, so he already knew that his eating (or lack thereof) wasn’t that healthy. However, he didn't really know how it was really affecting him and those around him, so Antoni’s information was actually quite interesting. They drove back to Alexander’s house, where Bobby was redecorating. Eliza and the children were staying at a hotel while everything was going on this week, but they still hung around the house ‘helping’ Bobby and watching their dad’s makeover from a distance. Antoni and Alex headed off to the kitchen while Jonathan went to go bother Bobby and entertain the younger children. The older kids wanted to sit in on the cooking lessons.

 

“Okay Alex. I’ve chosen two main recipes to teach you. First is a classic yet personal Mac and Cheese recipe. I know you said you didn't like mac and cheese, but this recipe will allow you to change whatever you don't like, because mac and cheese is a really nice family meal, and I believe everyone should know how to make it. Second is a basic burger. All you really need to do for that is learn how to customize each one for each family member, because everyone likes their burgers slightly different. Too start off the mac and cheese, your going to want to find a pan and start boiling water. Now, I like to fill it up with hot water, because… Wait, where are you going?” Alexander had started walking out of the room. James and John started giggling.  Angelica sighed,

 

“Sorry Antoni. His political ‘enemy’ loves mac and cheese and brings it to every meeting. He’ll make it for everyone, and insist that everyone eats their fill. I can't tell you how many times dad has come home with containers of mac and cheese that Thomas Jefferson sent home with him. It’s gotten to the point that now mac and cheese just annoys my dad. The rest of us don’t particularly fancy it either, but my dad flat out loathes it.” She finished her explanation by shrugging and smiling, “not your fault. Dad is just weird.”  John had fallen on the floor he was laughing so hard. Admittedly, Antoni couldn’t see why it was  _ that _ funny, but little kids have laughs that are really contagious, so Antoni started chuckling.

 

After a minute or so, Alexander was marched back into the kitchen by his oldest son, Alexander. He didn’t say anything, he just let go of his dad, and walked out, closing the kitchen door behind him. As the door was closing, Antoni heard him yell,   “Stay!” As though he was barking orders at a dog. Turning towards Alexander, Antoni said,

 

“Okay, so I guess we are going to scrap the Mac and cheese, and Instead go straight to the burgers. So for grilling burgers inside you are going to want to…”  Antoni continued, this time with Alexander standing at his shoulder, paying as much attention as he could. The three children that had decided to sit in on cooking lessons were trying to observe from a distance, as they didn’t want to intrude on the learning process. 

 

Surprisingly, Alexander picked up on cooking very quickly, so lunch was ready before expected. 

 

“Angie, please set the table. John, please help her. Uh, just do cups and silverware, because plates are going to be over here. James, may you go round everyone up, and tell them lunch is ready?” The three kids rushed to listen to their dads orders. Antoni smiled and showed Alexander how to plate things. The had decided to do serve it buffet style, as with over ten people in the house, trying to do each dish separately would be a nightmare. They also plated toppings for the burgers so each person could put on whatever they wanted.

 

Lunch was a hit. Even two year old Eliza wanted seconds. Alexander was beaming with pride. He felt as though he finally did something worthwhile for his family. However, the true cherry on top was when Eliza caught his eye and smiled. It had been ages since Eliza had acknowledged him in a positive light. She mostly ignored him, and if eye contact happened accidentally, she would scowl and quickly look away. Alexander’s heart soared at the slight show of something that didn’t seem to be anger. He quickly smiled back, very enthusiastically. He could have sworn he heard Eliza laugh, but with well over ten people in the room, he couldn’t be sure. 

 

After lunch, it was decided that Alexander should spend a little more time in the kitchen. He had a natural talent of learning how to cook, and Antoni had some more recipes to teach him. Also, Bobby wanted to consult with Alexander about what he’s doing with the house, starting with the kitchen. 

 

“So, for the kitchen, I’m not planning anything huge. I just think that we get you a new oven and fridge, as the ones you currently have are old and almost broken.” Antoni nodded vigorously at Bobby’s words, “but other then that, I’m just planning on working with Antoni to organize all the supplies. I’m thinking maybe a we put hooks over on that wall so you can hang ladles, spatulas and other things like that.” He was pointing at the wall to the slight left of the sink. He turned and gestured at the cupboards above the stove,

“I’m thinking, and bear with me, that we move those so the stove has nothing over it. I think we move them so they are vertical, floor to ceiling, but, we also either buy new cupboards, or we change the mechanism inside so that instead of drawers, it spins. Obviously we wouldn’t want to make the whole thing spin, but I think the lower third has all of the dry necessities, like flour and sugar. The middle section, which would be the one that spins, would be snack foods and the door to that section would hold the spices. The very top would have all the oils and cooking sprays. Also, we are going to add counter space. Probably also painting it. Does all that sound good?” Alexander blinked,

 

“Sounds amazing. When you said I wasn’t doing anything huge, I was thinking like, one thing, but you’re fixing all of it. Thanks Bobby.” Bobby smiled, 

 

“No problem. Can I help y’all make bread?” Antoni nodded and started running over the process of how to make perfect homemade bread. He was insistent on teaching Alexander because ‘bread is really simple, but also a fun thing you can make with your kids’. They were also going to be making pancakes and bacon, lasagna, and finally chocolate chip cookies. Antoni insisted that he leave a cookbook for Alexander, because he’s confident that Alexander will be able to use it often and use it well. Alexander wasn’t so sure himself, but he did know that his family would use it eventually. 

 

Eliza and the kids had gone back to the hotel after lunch, mainly so Bobby could focus, even though he insisted that the kids weren’t bothering him at all. When every dish had finished being prepared, and just had to bake and then cool, Alexander went to the living room for a consultation with Bobby. Even though he had already started redoing things, he wanted to double check with Alexander before anything was set in stone. Though he greatly doubted that Alexander would veto anything, it’s always good to check.

 

“So, first of all, feel free to interrupt me if you have any questions, because I’m not going to stop talking. Second, we are going to walk around the house a little bit, because I like to speak with my hands. Ready?” Bobby smiled widely at Alexander, and Alexander smiled back. He didn’t really see anything wrong with the house, but after hearing what Bobby was doing with the kitchen, Alexander was really excited to hear everything else. Bobby begin talking,

 

“So, all your furniture is really well taken care of, so the only reason we might have to change that is if we change the color scheme, which I don’t think were going to do, because whoever designed and decorated your house was really smart. However—” Alexander interrupted,

 

“Eliza and I had this house built because our old house did not have enough rooms for our fast growing family. We moved in when Eliza was pregnant with Eliza. Up until we moved, Philip and Alexander shared a room, James and John shared a room, Angie had her own room, but when we had guests over, they took her room and she slept on the couch. Now, we have eight bedrooms, so that should be enough. But Eliza’s pregnant again, so yeah. Sorry, please continue.” Bobby took the prompt, and continued speaking,

 

“So, keeping the fact that this house is already very well designed, what we are mostly going to be doing is reorganizing. The main place things are going to be majorly different in is your office. I know that you spend most of your time there, but i've been walking around the house, and I think your office is the single most depressing room in the house. Even though the room isn't cramped, I feel overly closed in right when I enter that room. Papers are everywhere, your back is to the door,  _ and _ the windows, which is an accomplishment, considering the fact that there are huge windows making up most of the back wall. Granted, the room itself is such an interesting shape, that it’s really hard to design around if you don't have any experience. No offense, I don’t think you really put much effort into filling the room. So, what we are going to do, is take out all of your current stuff, and refill the room around one main idea: ‘Comfort’. Now, I understand that you need to also have the room be functionable, but if you are spending hours on end in this room, we want you to enjoy it, we want you to be able to have multiple places to sit and work. I’m planning on getting you a larger desk, but instead of the typical square or rectangular work space, I think you would benefit from a rounded semi-circle desk.  That way, you can move up and down the desk area, I’m thinking that we put a computer at one end, and organizers at the other. Drawers for pens and pencils underneath the desk, and the front part of the desk would be a bookshelf. I’m thinking that we try to have it made of a lighter color of wood, because that would compliment the paint colors we are going to use. So, as you may have guessed from my previous sentence, we are going to repaint the office. This is where I really need to consult you, what colors do you want? I was thinking a lighter color, like maybe an off white, or a cream color, but your kids were  _ insistent _ that I should paint it a light purple. I don't think that would look bad, but I need your opinion.” He stopped talking, so Alexander could talk. 

 

“Uh, can I choose two or three colors?” Bobby nodded, so Alexander continued,

 

“So I like the light purple idea, but I would not be able to stand an entire purple room, so one wall purple, the others like a light blue gray. I think white walls would get too messy. You’d be surprised by how often I manage to get pen marks on the wall.” Bobby’s eyes lit up, and he stood up,

 

“Come on, let's go to your office.” Alexander followed Bobby up the stairs, and too his office. Bobby had already moved all the stuff out of the room, and had covered the floor with plastic as to not get paint of the floor. Bobby strode to the middle of the room and begin gesturing at the walls,

 

“So, your office has four walls, diagonal, window, small, side,” He gestured to whichever wall he was talking about, which Alexander appreciated, because he would had never known which wall Bobby was talking about. Bobby continued, 

 

“So, what if we paint the small wall with chalkboard paint, the window wall light purple, and the diagonal wall a collection of grays. The diagonal wall would be kind of ombré, but, with dots instead. So the end closest to the point would be a light gray, and the side closest to the chalk would be dark gray, we get from one gray to the next by making dark gray dots, that become more numerous the closer we get to the chalk wall. That way we can also add shape and originality to the room. Does that make any sense?” Bobby paused, knowing that when he gets too excited, sometimes he didn't make any sense. He was already thinking of a way to re-explain it when he saw Alexander nodding enthusiastically,

 

“Yeah, that actually sounds amazing, because I could use the chalkboard to really plan stuff out, which would be cool. Then, maybe we could paint some shelves dark gray and put them on that wall too. It would give me even more desperately needed space” Bobby laughed, 

 

“Okay, that's very true, and a very good idea. Do you have any other ideas? Usually people don’t give me any ideas, but when they do, I listen. It’s really important to me that what I do is functional for the person who is going to use it.  Anyways, moving on to the stuff we will put in this room. Besides the desk, we are going to give you at least one other workplace. I was thinking that we get you beanbag type seat. The thing about that is that then we would need to get you a desk or something to go with that seat. Maybe we could find a mini table that you could pull out from the wall. I’ll figure it out. Also, we are going to give you a fluffy rug so you can lay on the ground and read or think or whatever. Of course, we are also going to add lots of organized storage space. I hadn’t even considered shelf’s on the dots, so I’m glad you shared your idea. I was thinking more along the line of a cabinet in that corner,” He paused and pointed to where there was the acute angle, “that way, you can get rid of that funky corner. But the cabinet would sort of be a filing cabinet, just fancy and pretty and not those old metal ones. And also, we put plants around the room and change the lighting. That’s the final step. You have an entire wall of windows in here, so let’s use it! I’m planning on getting remote controlled-automatic shades, so it should be loads easier to open and adjust. For the plants, we don’t want to crowd you by putting them everywhere, but we do want it to feel more natural and fresh in here. I’m thinking a small desert flower for the desk, a nice stereotypical large leafy plant in that corner, and a colorful vase of flowers for on top of the new cabinet.” Alexander was really started to visualize end goal for the room and was now overly excited to see the final product. Bobby started walking out of the room, and walking towards the master bedroom, stopping only to wave over the loft at Antoni, who appeared to making more cookies.

 

“Now, for the bedroom, we will actually not change much. For real this time.  All we are going to do, is move your papers out of the room and into your office, change the accent colors, and split the closet so you and Eliza can each have your own space. That’s all. The room is already very nice, so there is not much to do.” He smiled at Hamilton, “Now, I believe you should go back to Antoni and finish up the cooking. Tomorrow you have Karamo time.” He led Alexander down the hall, down the stairs, and to the kitchen, even though Alexander was quite capable of walking to the kitchen himself. Antoni had cleaned everything up, and put cooling racks all over the countertop. The cooling racks were full of cookies.  When Antoni saw that Bobby and Alexander had come downstairs he smiled,

 

“Here, Alex, I bagged up two dozen cookies for you to bring back to the hotel for your family. You should head back now. I know it’s earlier then expected, but maybe you can take your kids to the pool or the arcade and spend some time with them.” Alexander nodded, and lead the other two men through the house and to the garage. They got into the car and drove off to the hotel. Even though they were only two days into the make-over, it had felt like so much had already been accomplished. Alexander couldn’t wait for tomorrow though, because Karamo was the man he really needed to talk to.

 

—

 

The next morning, Alexander slept until noon. Technically, it was fine because he didn't have to meet with Karamo until one, but it was quite out of character for Alexander. He wasn’t complaining, but still, he was very confused when he woke up and the sun was already high in the sky and shining  through the hotel window. Eliza and the kids were gone, so he assumed they already went out for the day. Admittedly, he was kind of offended that no one woke him up, but he couldn’t really blame Eliza. The kids, however. Well he was just shocked that everyone was able to get up and ready without waking him. Yawning, Alexander got out of bed and got himself ready. Once he was dressed, he left the hotel and drove to his house. 

 

The moment he walked in, he saw Bobby working on the kitchen. Bobby smiled at waved,

 

“Alex, Karamo is up in the 3rd story loft. He seemed to think that was a good place for a meeting.” Alexander cocked one eyebrow. The third story was not where  _ he _ would go for a meeting, as it was just the children’s room and some bathrooms up there. Granted, the ‘loft’, as Bobby called it,  _ was  _ quite nice. It was built to feel like a tree fort while still being accessible to adults. Alexander rarely brought people into any part of the house other than the tea room, and when he did, he never brought anyone up to the third level. Despite all this, he made his way up to the third floor.  

 

He saw Karamo the moment he got to the top of the staircase. He was sitting on one of the 10 bean bags, with another one right next to him for Alexander to sit on. 

 

“Hello Alex! Please sit, lets begin. First off, I choose to sit up here because it's the only floor where Bobby isn’t busy making noise. Second, I know that we have a lot to talk about, we have your affair, Phillip, John Laurens, your marriage, your job, overworking, your wife's pregnancy, The Reynolds Pamphlet, your relationship with your kids. Honestly, there’s so much to talk about, we will probably have to meet tomorrow as well. So, where would you like to start? If you don't know, I have some starter questions and I …” Alexander interrupted him,

 

“I published the Reynolds Pamphlet just over four years ago, and the affair was over ten years ago. It was only one summer long. I don't know why she’s still so mad at me. Okay, thats not true, I know she feels incredibly betrayed and I know I never should have taken Maria to bed, I just felt so bad for her, and I was overwhelmed with work. You know, she told me her husband had abused and abandoned her. I was just trying to be a good person, and it backfired completely. No, I didn’t ever  _ love _ love her, but I  _ did _ care for her. I mean, I just needed a break. I was so overwhelmed with politics and stuff that I wasn't thinking clearly. I felt awful and swore to never do it again, but Maria kept coming back, and I couldn’t say no. Believe me, I tried. Then, when i figured out it was just a ploy to get money from me, I didn't stop. Karamo,  _ I didn’t stop,”  _  tears started forming in Alexander's eyes, and ever so slowly, they stared rolling down his cheeks,

 

“I never meant to hurt Eliza. I love her more then I love myself, but I broke her heart. Karamo, when I broke her heart, my own heart broke too. I thought I was doing the right thing by publishing the Reynolds Pamphlet. I thought it was what I needed to clear my name. I didn’t know it would cause my family to fall apart. I just should have thought through my actions more. But, even though our marriage is falling apart, Eliza is pregnant again. Yes, it’s my child. But  _ why. Why is it my child? _ She hasn’t forgiven me, yet she and I still fu… er, i mean...yeah. Maybe she forgave for a while and then when Philip died she went back to being mad? But she's been mad at me for so much longer then just a couple of months. And, I mean, I can’t even think about Philip. His death was all my fault. I gave him the guns. I told him to shoot at the sky. I was even the reason he got into the duel. He was just trying to defend my honor, and it got him killed. Eliza hasn’t spoke to me since his death. Angie and Junior  only speak to me when it’s necessary. Granted, Angie doesn’t speak to anyone unless it’s necessary or she’s in an ok mood. Phillips death broke her. It broke us all. Oh, Philip, my baby philip. He was my pride and joy. I would have done anything for that boy. Instead, I managed to get him killed. I failed as a father, I failed as a husband. I would divorce myself if I could, but for some reason, Eliza is still my wife. My beautiful wife who deserves a much better husband. Even though we rarely speak, and barely make eye contact, she’s  _ still _ hasn't divorced me. I’m still waiting for her to hand me the papers. Papers,  _ papers _ ,  _ papers _ . Karamo, I have so much paper, I’m probably the sole reason forests are being destroyed. I know I need to stop taking my work home with me, I know its not healthy for me or my family, I know it’s another reason Eliza hates me. I just can’t fix it. I try, I really do. My life just a mess. One huge confusing, frustrating, disastrous mess. Even when I was a kid, my life had fallen apart. My father left, my mother died, I grew up buckwild, but I never gave up. Sometimes, Karamo, I think I  _ should _ have given up. The only reason I didn’t give up was because of my beloved Jackie- err John. I met him at the lowest point in my life. I was down in the dumps, just an immigrant trying to find a job and make a difference. It was pretty discouraging. All I got was dirty glances and rude laughter. Then I met John, Lafayette and Hercules. They shared my views and empowered me. They were the reason I got to where I am. And though I loved Laff and Herc, John was the one. I loved him.  _ I loved him _ . He loved me back, you know. He was my first significant other, but we kept that a secret. I think about him everyday. Missing in action? My Jackie was smarter than that. My Jackie would always come back. But then he didn’t. He didn’t come back for years and years. He  _ hasn’t  _ come back for years and years. Twenty long years. I used to talk to Eliza about John, and how dearly I missed him, but I think it made her slightly jealous of him. I don’t think she ever really liked John. Not that she had any reason to be, I loved her more than I loved John. Sometimes I imagine what her reaction would be if she knew that John and I dated. I uh ‘ _ broke up’  _ with him when I married-I mean started dating- Eliza. We stayed friends though. You can’t just cut someone out of your life when they were that important to you. You know what I’m saying?? Philip was seven months old when I got the letter saying John went ‘Missing In Action’ . I cried like a baby. Eliza had to spend the day taking care of two babies. In fact, she had to spend the  _ week _ taking care of two babies. John was scheduled to meet Philip that Christmas, he was going to be Philip’s godfather. Technically, he already was Philip’s godfather, we just never got the chance to tell him. And the Philip died, so John never got to meet my son. Well, my first son, I guess I have like… four now?? I think I have a pretty good relationship with my kids. I mean, for a while after the pamphlet, only John spoke to me, because he was still too young to understand what had happened. I guess James would also talk to me, because he was nine, and nine year olds like to talk.  He told me that Eliza had burned most of the letters I had written her. I didn’t even know she had saved them, but I felt like she had burned me. I put a lot of effort into those letters. And Maria didn’t change my love for Eliza, if anything, I appreciated Eliza even more after the affair. I know that sounds really wrong but I don’t know what else to say. I guess that brings us back to the beginning. Eliza's mad at me, and she’s been mad for far too long. I want her to talk to me again. I want to let her know that I love her. I would do anything to earn her forgiveness. Sorry, that was a lot. I just.. yeah.” Hamilton let out a final, shaky breath. His body didn’t seem to know whether or not it was crying. Karamo nodded sympathetically,

 

“Thanks for sharing. That’s why I’m here. I’ll keep this short. I bet Eliza wants to make up with you just as much as you want to make up with her. Start talking about John more, even if it’s just in the shower. And I’ll bet that Eliza isn’t as mad about the affair as she is about the fact that you published it. She probably feels insulted that you shared so many personal things. Philip’s death was not your fault. I know it can feel like that, but I guarantee that it was not you. However, with that in mind, you do need to apologize for giving him guns. That’s an irresponsible parenting choice. As for your work, it’s okay to bring your work home, you just need to set a limit. No staying up after nine pm for work. No skipping dinner because of work. No work on Sundays. I would start with small steps, like getting work out of non-work places, which I know Bobby is doing. Then I would start setting assigned times for your family. Start taking more days off and really start enjoying your weekend. Start cooking dinner for the family. You know, small things like that will really make a huge difference in the end. And one last thing, Alexander. You need to forgive yourself. Now, let’s go get a really late lunch or an early dinner.”

 

After dinner, Karamo and Alex rehearsed apologies. They ran through what felt like thousands of different ways to say sorry. Alexander just couldn’t get it right. Nothing felt genuine enough. Nothing seemed to capture what he was truly feeling.  He was getting more and more discouraged when Karamo suggested,

 

“Don’t worry about anything but you two. Talk about nothing but you two. Remind her of where you are, remind her of where you started. Tell her how much you depend on her. You are amazing with words. Trust yourself. Go,” Alexander took a deep slow breath, and poured out an apology so genuine and soft that it brought tears to Karamo’s eyes.

 

“That’s it Alex. That was perfect. At the end of the week, tell her that. She’ll forgive you.” Alexander smiled, then asked,

 

“Why at the end of the week, why not now?” Karamo shrugged, 

 

“Good finale.” 

 

“Seriously, just because y’all want a good finale?” Hamilton sighed, “Fine. I need to keep practicing anyways, I guess.”  Karamo smiled,

 

“That’s the spirit!! Now I suppose you should go back to the hotel. Goodnight!!”

 

—

 

The next day, Alexander spent some time with each member of the Fab Five. He practiced making apology dinners with Antoni. The decided a good recipe would be tortellini, ham and peas. Jonathan showed him all of the new hair and face care products and how to use them. Jonathan double checked Alex’s hair for split ends,  and once it was deemed clear, he braided it, just for fun. Alexander and Bobby spent hours sorting papers, and talking about trivial things, like cats vs dogs. After lunch, Tan insisted on bringing Alex shoe-shopping, just to ‘complete the outfit’. Finally, Alex and Karamo sent the rest of the night talking about managing work with home, and practicing Alex’s apology to Eliza. By ten pm, Alex was ready for tomorrow, the final day of the makeover, and the day it would  _ hopefully  _ all come together. 

 

—

 

The sun rose onto the surprisingly tidy front garden of the Hamilton's house. There were light and movement inside the house, but it wasn’t the Hamiltons. It was the Fab Five. They were preparing final touches for the dramatic reveal. Bobby and Antoni were hanging a sheet between the garage door and the kitchen, so the surprise wouldn’t be spoiled the moment Alex walked in. Alexander would be coming at about 10:30 to get ready. Eliza and the children would come over at 11:30, for the final reveal. The Fab Five and the camera crew would leave at noon, to let the Hamilton’s have their house to themselves. That was the rough plan for the day. This week was slightly different from all the other ones though. If it were a normal week, the Fab Five would leave tonight, after showing the family around the house, and  _ ‘the big reveal’  _ would happen tomorrow. The big reveal of course meaning showing off the new man to all his friends and co-workers. However, this was not a normal week. Alex said that he didn't want to has guests over and he wanted the ‘big reveal’ to be today. His reasoning were two main things. The first being that no one besides the Hamiltons ever really went beyond the main hall, so no one would notice the changes. The second reason was that his family was large enough to be considered a small gathering all on their own. The Fab Five agreed with Alex, so they mixed up the schedule a bit. 

 

At exactly 10:29, the garage door opened, and Alexander walked in. 

 

“Alex! Perfect timing, we just finished getting everything ready. You can’t peek until Eliza and the kids are here, so we are going to get you ready in the parlor. Let’s go!” Jonathan grasped Alex’s wrist and dragged him into the parlor. The Fab Five had set it up into a little dressing room. One of the outfits Alex and Tan had bought was laid out on the table. It was a pair of yoga pants, a loose white tee-shirt with a floral print line-drawing, and high ankle socks, which somehow complimented the shirt really well. It only took Alex a minute or two to get dressed, though he did struggle a bit with the socks. Jonathan then did Alex’s hair into a waterfall braid somewhat resembling that of a cliche elf’s. He also put a little bit of eyeliner onto Alex, just to make the violet-blue really pop.  Karamo gave a lengthy yet inspiring pep talk. Bobby and Antoni helped in whatever way they could, considering neither of them really had anything they could do in the parlor. When Alex was done getting ready the Fab Five cleaned up the room and put everything back to where it was supposed to go. Alexander just sat there, humming to himself.

 

Karamo’s speech must have been much longer then it felt, because by the time everything was tidy again, and Alex had been double and triple checked for any imperfections, it was 11:25. Eliza and the kids would be here in 5 minutes. 

 

“Let’s wait outside, so we can direct them in through the front door,”  Alex suggested. The Fab Five nodded in complete agreement, and dashed down the hall like a pack of over excited puppies. Just before they got to the end of the hall, there was a knock at the door. Knowing Eliza would come in through the garage, everyone simultaneously stopped running and stared at the door. Whoever was out there knocked again. Alexander stepped around the Fab Five and slowly opened the door.

 

There was a man standing outside. He was wearing a tee-shirt and ripped jeans. He had scars and bruises that were clearly visible. The Fab Five looked at Alexander, to see if he knew the man or not. To their surprise, Alexander had started crying.

 

“John??”Alex asked, his voice quaking. The mystery man smiled,

 

“I promised i would always come back for you, my love.” Alexander squeaked,

 

“Oh Jackie, I missed you!!” He rushed towards the man, who by now the Fab Five knew was the infamous John Laurens. John caught Alex and swept him off the ground. The two men hugged as though their lives depended on it. Alexander was clinging onto john like a koala, with his legs wrapped around John’s waist. John had buried his face in Alex’s neck. Both of them were crying. In fact, the Fab Five were crying too. 

 

After a couple of minutes, Alexander set his feet back on the ground. He carefully moved his hands, so that they were holding the back of John’s neck. 

 

“Alex, what about Eliza?” Alexander ignored John. He just smiled,

 

“She’ll understand.”  Knowing fully that Eliza would not understand, Alexander pulled John into a heartfelt kiss. John melted right into it. He put his hands onto Alex’s waist and pulled him towards himself. 

 

“Oh my gay!” Jonathan aww-ed, “you two are so cute!”

 

Just then, everyone heard the garage door open.  

 

“Shit,” Alex mumbled against John's lips. John pulled back,

 

“Sounds like Eliza’s home,” he smiled, “care to reintroduce me?” Alexander’s eyes lit up. He took off his watch and under it to john. 

 

“In 15 minutes ring the doorbell. Go. I love you!!” He shoved John back outside and turned towards the Fab Five, “does it look like I’ve just been crying??” The Fab Five started nodding, but Alexander ignored them. He dashed down the hall, and stood waiting for Eliza and the kids. The door opened, and in walked Eliza carrying Eliza.

 

“Sorry we’re a little late,” Eliza said, somewhat coldly.

 

“It’s okay honey. Listen, Eliza I have something I really need to say to you before we get a tour of the house.” Eliza looked skeptical. Alexander sighed, “I  _ know _ I don’t deserve you, Eliza. But hear me out, that would be enough. I’m sorry. I'm sorry about Maria, I’m sorry about Phillip. I’m sorry about the pamphlet. I failed as a husband, I failed as a father. But I’m not afraid.

I know who I married. Just let me stay here by your side, and that would be enough. Look at where we are. Look at where we started. Eliza, I love you more than I love myself. Please forgive me.” Alexander slowly met Eliza’s eyes. She was crying,

 

“Oh Honey, I’m bad at holding grudges. I forgave you ages ago. You just hadn’t forgiven yourself. I love you.” Eliza took Alexander’s hand. “Now, let's go get a tour of the house.”

 

Alexander and the Fab Five stood with their mouths lolling open. That was a plot twist. Karamo had expected the forgiveness to take time. James interrupted the mass confusion,

 

“Dad, I don’t know why you both are crying, but please, I want to see the house.” Alexander shook himself out of his stupor and turned towards Bobby, 

 

“Lead the way,” 

 

Bobby did just that. He lead the family to the kitchen and was showing the all the new features when the doorbell rang. Alexander sighed

 

“John, can you go get the door??” Nine year old John sprinted out of the room. Everybody listened, and about thirty second later, a shout echoed throughout the house,

 

“DAD!! IT’S JOHN LAURENS!!” Alexander snuck a wink at the Fab Five and shouted back, 

 

“I’M NOT FALLING FOR THAT AGAIN!”

 

“NO, SERIOUSLY DAD!!” Loud thumps echoed throughout the house, as John came flying around the corner, dragging John Laurens by the arm. 

The Fab Five quickly learned that Alexander was not the best actor. Luckily, the rest of the family was so focused on John Laurens suddenly showing up at their house, that they didn't notice Alex’s bad acting skills. Once again, Alexander rushed up and hugged John, but there wasn’t any love confessions this time. Alex had already been crying from his apology to Eliza, so even though his acting was awkward, it looked sort of genuine. Surprisingly, Eliza also started crying again and hugged John. She had met him before, but neither Alex nor the Fab Five knew that they had actually been close. Alex had been convinced she secretly hated John. Apparently he was wrong. The kids just stood there awkwardly. None of them had met John before, but they had heard stories. Suddenly, Eliza stopped crying and broke her hug with John,

 

“JOHN, YOU WERE MISSING FOR TWENTY YEARS! WE HAD A FUNERAL FOR YOU! HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS!?” John cringed,

 

“Eliza, that’s a long story, I’ll tell you later. For now though, it looks like you guys are busy. You have guests over. I’ll go for now and come back tomorrow sometime.” 

 

“NO! You are going to stay in our warm house, with our family. You are now a member of the Hamilton’s. As the godfather of our four oldest children, you shall stay here.” John sighed, 

 

“Okay, if you’re really su— wait, I’m the  _ Godfather _ of your children??” He looked from Eliza to Alex, only to find both of them nodding. John was about to say something else when Bobby interrupted, 

 

“I’m really sorry, but we-” He gestured to the Fab Five, “—have to leave in about ten minutes, and we still haven’t shown you the remodeled house.” Alexander facepalmed. 

 

“Jesus Christ. I’m sorry, we just got carried away. We’ll have a big reunion later. You guys show us around now. I can’t wait to see what you came up with.” He grabbed Eliza’s hand, and for the first time in many years, she didn't pull away. With his other hand, he held John’s hand. Alexander’s heart fluttered and he smiled. 

 

As Bobby showed the family around the house, Alexander felt satisfied for what felt like the first time ever. Everything was complete, and he couldn’t ask for more. He had John, he had Eliza, and he had his kids. Watching his family’s reaction to the remodeled house was enough to make Alexander happy, but knowing that Eliza had forgiven him made Alexander feel light. He felt as though he finally deserved to love his life. He loved watching James play with the new spinning cupboard in the kitchen. He loved watching Angelica’s jaw drop at his new office space. He loved watching little baby Eliza crawl on the soft new rug in his office. Sure, completely fixing the family would take time, but the true weight on his chest had finally been lifted. 

 

_ Forgiveness, can you imagine. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
